A True Champion
by mirrorkills
Summary: what happened to spike at the end of series 7


He laughed as the flames consumed him, and then there was nothing. He had given his life to save her, to save them; and it wasn't only that, he had given his life for redemption. During his unlife he had committed so many unspeakable acts, amongst those, more noteworthy, were his killings of two slayers, the first during the boxer rebellion, the second many years later in New York. In his unlife he went from villain to hero, and that's how he died, a hero, a champion.  
  
Where am I, he thought. He thought he had died, he had felt the burning turn his body to dust. He had watched as she had saved herself, because he told her to. Surely there was more to it then this. He had expected to find himself in the depths of hell, paying for his sins, not in the nothing where he was.  
  
"William, wake up" He awoke slowly, keeping his eyes closed, it couldn't have all been a dream he thought, and it was too real for that. He opened his eyes and looked around; he saw a familiar face. "Buffy, I thought it was over, I watched you leave." "No, William, it is over, and yes you have died, and she did leave, just like you told her too, very admirable I may add" Spike tried to back away from the figure but he couldn't, for all extensive purposes he was awake only from the neck up. "So you're the big evil then, you won eh? I guess my going out in a blaze of glory wasn't needed after all" he said, still trying to struggle free from his invisible bonds. "No, William, your dying was certainly not in vain, if anything it was the reason the slayers won this battle, We are not the first either, We are neither good nor evil, We are beyond those, We exist beyond all mortal thought, beyond all reckoning. We exist here and here alone" "And why exactly am I here then?" Spike asked.  
"Because you are exactly where you should be, or at least you will be soon enough"  
"And where would that be then?" "Not yet William, sleep now, you have a long way to go, all will be revealed" With that Spike found himself drifting off.  
"All in good time William, all in good time"  
  
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Spike's thoughts drifted back forth while he slept, his life and his unlife flashed through his mind. Flashes of his over bearing mother, of how he gave her a new life only to take it away. Followed then by thoughts of Drusilla, his sire and long time partner. Finally thoughts of the Slayer entered his unconscious mind, of how he had come to Sunnydale to make it 3 and 0, and failing miserably. Thoughts of teaming with her to be rid if Angelus and win back the favour of Drusilla, to being a test subject for the initiative and having a chip placed his brain, making it impossible for him to harm humans, to siding with her, in the fight against the bad guys, not because he wanted to, but because he had no other choice, to falling in love with her, wanting her to love him back. Being rejected by her, searching out a way to become what he was, wanting that sodding chip out, so that he could take care of her once and for all, only to have his soul restored, to finally in the hellmouth cavern, fighting by her side till the very end, and having her tell him that she loved him, he wasn't sure that she meant it, but he was happy to hear her say it none the less, and then there was nothing, and he was where he was now, wherever that may be..  
  
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Spike once again regained consciousness, he found he was free the invisible restraints. He looked around for a way out of wherever he was, but the place was dark, too dark for even his vampiric eyes to adjust to. A short way away he hears his host conversing with another, they seemed to be arguing, but he'd have to get closer to make out what they were saying. Spike got close enough so that he could hear.  
"We are not meant to intervene."  
"We have not needed to before now. We did not see this happening"  
"We knew of the prophecy. We even had a hand in the writing of it, do you not remember this?"  
"Of course I remember it, but you are well aware that it wasn't meant for him"  
"This is of no relevance, because of the sacrifice he has made this destiny now belongs to him"  
"What of the other?"  
"We do not know, but things have changed and his destiny is now very unclear"  
"What do with now with this one?"  
"We do what we must" With that the voices stopped and there was once again silence.  
  
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Spike stood there shaking his head.  
"I 'avent a bleeding idea what those two are on about" He felt a tap on his shoulder; he jumped in shock and turned around.  
"Oh it's you," he said trying to catch his breathe, "What was all that about then, and while we're at it, who is this we you're constantly yammering about, and not that we are beyond crap you were on about earlier" "Very well William, we are the keepers, we exist to keep things in order. To keep things how they should be. Although we do not see everything, it is rare that things do get by us, things not originally planned, but it does happen. This just happens to be one of those times."  
"So poor little spike went and one upped the higher ups? Go me." Spiked quipped rather gleefully.  
"Continually William, since you first arrived in Sunnydale, your path has been written and rewritten countless times, nothing major mind you, apart from you regaining your soul, that stirred things up some, after that we had all but given up. Finally your act of redemption made it clear; it was an act of a true champion, it showed us where you belonged."  
"Ok, so to repeat what I asked earlier, where exactly do I belong?"  
"William, have you heard of the Shanshu prophecy?"  
"Shan-what"  
"Shanshu, it is the prophecy which decrees, that when that a souled vampire fulfils his destiny, whatever that may be, he becomes human."  
"Oh yeah, I've heard of that thing, but wasn't it meant for tall dark and forehead though? She gave him a rather curious look.  
"I take it you are referring to Angel, and yes it was originally meant for him, but we did not foresee you regaining your soul"  
"Yeah, well not exactly what I had in mind either you know."  
"We are aware of what your intentions were; We just didn't see this happening."  
"Ok, where to now then?"  
"You'll know soon enough William" She clicked her fingers and Spike was gone.  
"All in good time William, all in good time.  
  
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Spike finds himself, on his back in a room of pure white, gazing at ceiling. He is now surrounded by three new figures, none of which is recognizes. In his dazed state, he thought, are these ones real? They seemed real enough, although at first so did the keepers. They stood hovering over him, talking amongst their selves. Two of them clearly had no idea as to who this man is lying on the floor was. The third then spoke up. "I'm not quite sure, but I know who this may be. I remember studying about him back when I was with." He was interrupted by another person entering the room. He strides over to the group, sees who in on the floor and eliminates any uncertainty as to who it is with a single-word. "Spike" Spike naked save a familiar-looking amulet, turns groggily in the direction of the voice, he set eyes on a very familiar face, the face of Angel and mutters, "Oh bloody hell." 


End file.
